A new addition to the BRC, the East Riding Stages Rally will provide a scintillating curtain raiser for 2025 and offers an earlier start to the season for eager crews. Taking place on 23 February, the Yorkshire closed public roads around the Beverley rally base will evaluate contender’s mettle over ten challenging stages.
The popular event is also famed for its dedication to taking the sport to a wider audience, complimented by an impressive presence in the local community, town centre activities, spectacular street stage and dedicated Fan Zones during the weekend.
With reigning BRC Champion Chris Ingram announcing that he won’t be defending his title, this season is out in the opening but who will be the leading contenders?
Keith Cronin will debut his new Citroën C3 Rally 2 at the East Riding Stages Rally in Yorkshire this weekend, as he launches another bid to secure five British Rally Championship titles.
The 2024 Irish Tarmac Champion was also in-line for the BRC crown last season, but was denied the honour of equally Jimmy McRae’s five titles on the final round.
Cronin’s 2025 campaign had been due to commence with the Galway International Rally at the start of this month, before the Tarmac Championship opener fell victim to the effects of Storm Éowyn.
Estonian Romet Jürgenson is primed for his debut in the Probite British Rally Championship next weekend after an impressive performance at WRC Rally Sweden. The FIA Rally Star winner and 2024 FIA Junior WRC champ finished 7th in the ultra-competitive WRC2 category on only his second ever event in Rally2 machinery.
Jürgenson’s Rally Sweden performance was even more impressive as it was only his second attempt at the highly specialised event, and now he will head to the opening round of the BRC with confidence as he represents the M-Sport Ford Rally Team in a Ford Fiesta Rally2 with co-driver Siim Oja.
William Creighton will team up with Meirion Evans in 2025, with a two-car assault on the Probite British Rally Championship with the Castrol MEM Rally Team, driving a pair of Toyota GR Yaris Rally2’s.
Creighton and co-driver Liam Regan took second place in last year’s championship, narrowly missing out on the title which went to Castrol MEM Rally Team’s Chris Ingram.
Since the champion will not defend his title in 2025, the 26-year old from Northern Ireland will step into the vacant seat, joining the experienced Welshman Meirion Evans in the squad. Dale Furniss will join Evans in the co-driver’s seat.
Adding further excitement is Matthew Hirst, a rising force in British rallying who has quickly made a name for himself with his raw speed and technical skill. Hirst, driving a Ford Fiesta Rally2, co-driven by Declan Dear, has delivered impressive performances across national rallies, taking victories in challenging conditions.
Known for his fearless driving style, Hirst is widely regarded as one of the championship’s most exciting prospects and a strong contender for the top spot.
